1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to information technology (IT), and more particularly, to a computer peripheral operating event responding method and system which is designed for use in conjunction with a computer platform, such as a desktop computer, a notebook computer, a tablet computer, and the like, for the software layer (i.e., operating system) of the computer platform to respond to a series of peripheral operating events, including, for example, hot-key pressing events, media player activating key pressing events, docking station engaging events, docking station disengaging events, multi-bay CD-ROM hot-plug events, fan driving events, to name a few, that are initiated at the hardware layer (i.e., the peripheral interface) of the computer platform, for the purpose of allowing the software layer to be able to respond to these peripheral operating events by executing corresponding event handling programs.
2. Description of Related Art
Computer platforms nowadays, such as desktop computers, notebook computers, tablet computer, and the like, are typically equipped with various fast keys (commonly called “hot keys”), such as power management keys, diagnostic utility activating keys, Internet activating keys, email program activating keys, media player activating keys, to name just a few, on their peripheral interface such as keyboard, for the user to more quickly activate the desired program by simply pressing just one key or key combination on the keyboard, rather than tediously using the mouse to flip and search through many menus or dialog boxes in the operating system for the command options or buttons that are used to activate the desired program. The use of fast keys thus can help simplify computer operations for the user.
Presently, one method for implementing fast key pressing event responding function is to utilize the keyboard scan code to monitor whether any fast key has been pressed down; and if a fast key is found to be pressed down, the standard IRQ (Interrupt ReQuest) or PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) interrupt handing method is utilized to activate the corresponding event handling program in the software layer (i.e., the operating system) of the computer platform to thereby provide the intended functionality to the fast key.
One drawback to the utilization of keyboard scan code and IRQ/PCI in combination to respond to fast key pressing events is that it would complicate the architecture of the interface between the keyboard and the operating system of the computer platform, thus making the interface complex and difficult to design. Besides, it would undesirably affect the normal operations of standard keys on the keyboard, thus reducing the efficiency of data input by the keyboard.
In addition, most notebook computers nowadays are equipped with peripheral expansion interface for the user to engage his/her notebook computer to various other peripheral functional modules as docking stations, multi-bay CD-ROM modules, and so on, for the purpose of expanding the capabilities of the notebook computer. When such a peripheral functional module is engaged to a notebook computer, the BIOS and operating system of the notebook computer will respond to this event by automatically performing related setups to allow the notebook computer to be capable of operating with the engaged peripheral functional modules.
Presently, one method for implementing the responding to peripheral functional module engaging events is to utilize an independent mechanism that is separated from the above-mentioned fast-key pressing event responding mechanism. For this sake, it is required to design two separate peripheral operating event responding mechanisms, which would undesirably complicate the software development process.